I savings bonds earn interest monthly. Interest is compounded semiannually, meaning that every 6 months we apply the bond's interest rate to a new principal value.
I bonds earn interest from the first day of the month you buy them. Twice a year, we add all the interest the bond earned in the previous 6 months to the main (principal) value of the bond. That gives the bond a new value (old value + interest earned).
Cons of Buying I Bonds
I bonds are meant for longer-term investors. If you don't hold on to your I bond for a full year, you will not receive any interest. You must create an account at TreasuryDirect to buy I bonds; they cannot be purchased through your custodian, online investment account, or local bank.
By buying a bond, you're giving the issuer a loan, and they agree to pay you back the face value of the loan on a specific date, and to pay you periodic interest payments along the way, usually twice a year. Unlike stocks, bonds issued by companies give you no ownership rights.
The most common way to buy I Bonds is to visit TreasuryDirect, the government website that allows for the purchase of government securities.
Key Points. Pros: I bonds come with a high interest rate during inflationary periods, they're low-risk, and they help protect against inflation. Cons: Rates are variable, there's a lockup period and early withdrawal penalty, and there's a limit to how much you can invest.
Series I savings bonds are often considered a hedge against inflation. The current composite rate for I bonds is 4.3%. You can't buy more than $10,000 in electronic I bonds for yourself annually.
For retirees, I bonds represent a robust portfolio option in 2023 – and savvy investors know it. Take the March 2023 I bond composite rate, which stands at 6.89%. That's a good and safe return for retirement investors, who know only too well that capital preservation is the name of the game in retirement.
You'll be able to cash a minimum of $25, or any amount above that in one-cent increments. When you cash your bonds online, the cash generally transfers to your checking or savings account within two business days of the request.
The limit is per person — so if you're married, each spouse is allowed to purchase $10,000 in I bonds (plus the paper bonds if they have a tax return). You can also purchase up to $10,000 in I Bonds for your children, but they must be used for the child, to save for college, perhaps.
Another advantage is that TIPS make regular, semiannual interest payments, whereas I Bond investors only receive their accrued income when they sell. That makes TIPS preferable to I Bonds for those seeking current income.
TIPs offer comparable inflation protection relative to I Bonds at higher yields, a significant advantage. TIPs are also somewhat riskier, more volatile securities, with quite a bit of interest rate risk. Both asset classes are good investments, but TIPs are slightly better, due to their higher yields.
The annualized variable rate of 3.38% is based on inflation running at 1.69% from September 2022 to March 2023, and represents a significant decline from recent previous rates. Starting in May 2023, Series I bonds will earn a minimum interest rate of 3.38% according to newly released U.S. inflation data.
Are I bonds a good investment for you? I bonds can make good short-term investments, but you should feel comfortable holding them for at least one year and ideally, five years before cashing them in. They can be a good fit for seniors who want to earn interest on their savings while also keeping their nest egg safe.
Individuals, organizations, fiduciaries, and corporate investors may buy Treasury securities through a bank, broker, or dealer.
EE Bond and I Bond Differences
The interest rate on EE bonds is fixed for the life of the bond while I bonds offer rates that are adjusted to protect from inflation. EE bonds offer a guaranteed return that doubles your investment if held for 20 years. There is no guaranteed return with I bonds.
A $500 Series EE savings bond is worth $1,000, if you hold it for 20 years. A $10,000 bond is worth $20,000 after 20 years.
$10,000 limit: Up to $10,000 of I bonds can be purchased, per person (or entity), per year. A married couple can each purchase $10,000 per year ($20,000 per year total). 7.12% interest: The yield on I bonds has two components—a fixed rate and an inflation rate.
This composite rate of TreasuryDirect Series I Savings Bond, applied to $10,000 in I bonds, would earn a guaranteed $215 in interest over the next six months (not $430, that's because it's an annualized rate) — but you cannot cash in your bond until you've held it for a year. So why even mention the six-month take?
I bonds also have important tax advantages for owners. For example, interest earned on I bonds is exempt from state and local taxation. Also, owners can defer federal income tax on the accrued interest for up to 30 years.
One key relationship explains why bonds did so badly in 2022: Bond prices and interest rates move in opposite directions. “The Federal Reserve raised rates more than they have in 40 years. That caused massive losses inside of bonds,” says Robert Gilliland, managing director at Concenture Wealth Management.
I Bonds are inflation-protected savings bonds, issued and guaranteed by the United States Treasury. Because of the recent high inflation, I Bonds purchased before the end of October 2022 will yield 9.62 percent for the next six months. If inflation stays high, so will the yield.
Investors of bonds, however, may decide it is more advantageous to sell a bond rather than hold it to maturity. Some of these reasons include anticipation of higher interest rates, that the issuer's credit will be lowered, or if the market price seems unreasonably high.